At these meetings reports are given on a range of issues including developments at the main airport in Maroochydore, planning issues for the foreseeable future, new developments at Caloundra Aerodrome, Aviation Industry news, Aircraft Movements and noise complaints, and finally, issues involving local community groups.

The more relevant issues for Community Organisations are developments at Caloundra Aerodrome, Aircraft movements and noise complaints and issue affecting residential communities.

Attendance by Sunshine Coast Airport Management members were down at the April meeting owing to the current need for many of them to be available for the development of the new runway and the expansion projects. Such a major expansion is time consuming.

There were two Caloundra Aerodrome Business Owners representatives as well as members from BeCA and the Golden Beach Progress Association at the meeting.

Councillors Baberowski and Robinson were in attendance as well.

The meeting was told that new bollards, plantings and signage had been installed at Caloundra Aerodrome over recent months. Business owners remarked on how the general outlook of the aerodrome had been improved resulting in more families visiting the aerodrome for plane watching and a family picnic lunch. Pathways and streetscaping had been improved as well.

After a lengthy process, control of the land sought for the extension of the Queensland Air Museum had been passed to Council allowing the next step of the Air Museum Expansion to go ahead.

The Sunshine Coast Airport had a presence at the Avalon Air Show in Melbourne, a premier event for the aviation industry and had attracted a large number of enquiries and people seeking more information.

A management Group was investigating a school’s pathway for prospective workers in the local aviation industry. This would ensure appropriate subjects and experiences would be available to students considering the aviation industry as a career path. Comment was made on the large number of former Sunshine Coast residents who were now Captains flying commercial passenger flights all over the world. Others from the Sunshine Coast had found their way into the RAAF and were achieving excellent results.

Because of the absence of some Management Members from the forum it was only possible to supply a verbal report on Noise Complaints raised by residents. These were seen to be up but only marginally. A total of around 8 noise complaints for a month is seen as a significant number.

BeCA provided verbal feedback on the behaviour of pilots of aircraft over our homes. There is one plane in particular which has caused some residents some concern and details their were passed on to Airport Management.

The Sky Diving Company at Caloundra has been sold and a new company has taken over with new aircraft. It seems pilots flying for sky diving companies are not usually well paid, are new to the area and their primary aim is to get their flying hours up.

It is believed there should be a briefing for all new pilots should to outline the airport’s “Fly Neighbourly Policy”.

BeCA raised the issue of a permanent solution to the provision of a Satellite Helicopter Training Facility. The temporary agreement to use land supplied by Stockland is due to conclude in December of this year.

It was reported that this issue is well in hand and Airport Management are extremely confident there will be a positive outcome on this issue.